The present invention relates generally to an improved communication coupling apparatus with a hearing aid. The invention may be used to improve communication between a telephone and an individual with different degrees of hearing loss.
Efforts have been made to improve coils for telephones such as in U.S. Publication No. 20010055386 to Waldron et al., hereby incorporated by reference, which describes an audio coupler device for use in communication with a T-coil of a hearing aid.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,245 to Flygstad, may describe the use of an inductance coil in an apparatus to enhance communication with a hearing aid device. Further, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,796,821 to Crouch et al., the patent may describe the use of a T-Coupler used in a hearing aid telephone interconnect system for connection between a telephone instrument and a conventional hearing aid.
US Publication No. 20020141545 to Segovia, may also describe the use of an induction coil to transfer audio signals from a telephone handset speaker to a hearing aid.
As these publications show, the use of different types of coils in conjunction with a telephone can be combined in various ways. However, none offer performance like some of the hearing impaired may need. Further, the use of a toroid has not been optimum in performance, and even the number if turns and other parameters whereby a wire is wound around a core appear not to have been optimized. It is now believed that the number of turns in a communication device appears to make a difference.